Thoughts from a New Yorker

        

The Rhythm of New York

The hum

Of the city

As you

Step

Outside

 

The beat

Of the footsteps

Of millions

Of feet

As you

Journey

Towards

Your destination

 

The symphony

Of car horns

And barking dogs

And shouting

 

As we all

Journey

Towards

Our destinations

 

The feel

Of life

In this city

 

The rhythm

Of the world

 

With every passing

Moment

 

With every

Breath

That we take

 

The world

Spins

Our lives

Go on

 

We feel

The rhythm

Of life

In this city

 

 

Untitled

It is everywhere

That you go

 

In the streets

In restaurants

In cars

At airports

 

In the ears

Of strangers

Walking

Down the street

Or riding

The bus

 

It is in your ears

As much as theirs

As you are

Singing

In your head

Or listening

To your favorite

Song

 

It lifts us up

Brings us down

Gives us hope

Makes us feel

Hopeless

 

Some people

Choose to ignore

The beauty it creates

 

The light

The warmth

That it adds

To our

Cold

Dark

World

 

Could they

Ever

Miss

The songs

They will never

Hear?

 

Would

The music

Change them

As it has

Changed

Us?

 

 

The Sticky Note Cafe

Thousands

Of post-its

That stick

To the wall

 

Thousands

Of messages

Left by

Strangers

 

Millions

Of words

And phrases

 

Hundreds

Of drawings

And doodles

 

They cover

Every inch

Of space

On the walls

Of the tiny room

 

Who

I wonder

Left these words

 

For people to

See

Read

Touch

Laugh at

 

For people to

Cover up

With messages

Of their own

 

Who

I wonder

Will read mine?

 

 

Up

She stares

And stares

And stares

 

At thousands

Upon thousands

Of different pairs

 

Red

Yellow

Black

White

 

Too big

Too small

Too loose

Too tight

 

She can tell

What they’ve been through

 

By the tears

By the fading colors

By the way the wearer moves their feet

 

But she will never know

Who

Wears them

 

Because

She will never

Look

Up

 

 

The Things That Are Left Unsaid

The words

Sitting in your head

Will never

Do

Any good

 

The things

That you are

Afraid

To say

Will never

Change

The world

 

The things

That we leave

Unsaid

Will never

Brighten

Someone’s day

Will never

Make them

Smile

 

If you

Speak

Your mind

Your words

Could

 

Make someone

Smile

Brighten

Their day

Change

The world

 

But if you leave

Your thoughts

Unsaid

You will

Never

Know

 

If there is something

You are

Longing

To say

 

Just

 

Say it

 

3 thoughts on “Thoughts from a New Yorker”

  1. It is a remarkable work by an eleven year old girl. Her perception of her environment, especially NYC, is pretty remarkable. And it is expressed with very concise, tight, thought provoking words. Good work, Zoe!

  2. Beautiful poems! Such precise imagery & observations in each one of the scenes, each with its own subtle meditation on life in the city. Really beautiful work! One of my favorite passages poses this paradox, a powerful question:
    Could they
    Ever
    Miss
    The songs
    They will never
    Hear?
    Congrats, Zoe! So happy to read these, & looking forward to more!

  3. Dear Zoe,
    Reflections so clearly and thoughtfully
    conveyed –your observations of life as
    you travel through its joys and vicissitudes
    listening to and hearing its music in all its
    complexities. Thank you for sharing your
    artistry. We love you very much.

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